1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a "metal wood" type golf club. More particularly, the invention relates to a metal wood golf club head employing a gel to improve the striking characteristics of the club head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
"Metal wood" type golf clubs have become the standard throughout the golf industry. Metal wood heads are generally made from metal castings, and have adopted the general golf club head shape employed in prior wood type golf club heads. The castings employed in metal wood heads commonly include a hollow interior and are formed to provide a single piece head.
While metal woods are highly successful, and have improved the golf games of both professionals and novices, metal woods still retain several problems which have not yet been dealt with in a desirable manner. Specifically, metal woods tend to transmit undesirable impact caused vibrations from the golf club head to the club shaft upon impact. In addition, metal woods are highly sensitive to the position a ball is struck on the front face. Unless a user strikes the ball directly in the sweet spot of a metal wood, the dynamic properties of the club head are altered, reducing the clubs efficiency and the ball's travel distance.
When a golfer strikes a golf ball with a hollow metal wood, the striking surface of the club head deflects elastically upon impact. The striking surface then rebounds as the ball is directed into play. The nature and direction of the rebound depend upon the location of the point of impact on the striking surface, and may affect the speed, rotation, and trajectory of the golf ball. Various attempts have been made in the prior art to alter the striking characteristics of metal woods. For example, some prior art golf club heads have included highly rigid striking surfaces, while other prior art golf club heads have provided highly elastic striking surfaces.
Although great strides have been made in the development of metal woods, a need continues to exist for improved metal woods. The present invention provides an improved metal wood.